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Interactions Between BMI and Age on Fall Risk in Older Adults
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Orientador(es)
Resumo(s)
The aging process is typically marked by a reduction in functional fitness, which heightens the likelihood of falling. Although obesity is established as a determinant of poor mobility, the interplay between excess weight and advanced age is still a topic of research interest. Therefore, this research investigated how age, sex, and Body Mass Index (BMI) interact to influence fall risk among older adults living in the community. This cross-sectional investigation involved 815 participants (Mage = 70.45 ± 6.10 years), stratified by age (sexagenarians, septuagenarians, octogenarians) and BMI (normal weight, overweight, obesity). Fall risk was assessed using the Timed Up and Go test. A Three-Way ANOVA examined the main and interaction effects. No significant three-way interaction (p = 0.334) or main effect of sex (p = 0.079) was found. However, a significant age x BMI interaction was observed (p = 0.007). In sexagenarians and septuagenarians, obesity was associated with significantly slower fall risk performance compared to normal weight (p < 0.001). Conversely, in octogenarians, this difference was not significant (p = 1.000) with normal-weight individuals. Obesity may be a significant risk factor for falls, especially in adults aged 60 to 79 years. In octogenarians, the protective benefit of normal weight disappears, revealing a “weight paradox” likely driven by sarcopenia. Fall risk assessments and weight management strategies should be tailored to age, focusing on preserving muscle mass in octogenarians.
Descrição
Palavras-chave
Aging Fall risk Functional fitness Obesity paradox Sarcopenia
Contexto Educativo
Citação
Rodrigues, Filipe; Monteiro, Diogo; Monteiro, António M.; Forte, Pedro (2026). Interactions Between BMI and Age on Fall Risk in Older Adults. Epidemiologia. ISSN 2673-3986. 7:1, p. 1-10.
Editora
MDPI